Recommendation 20

HM Government Acknowledged

The Government agrees with the Committee’s assessment that the motivations of spiking offenders remain unclear, particularly around the newly identified incidences of needle spiking, and that the lack of understanding limits our ability to effectively tackle spiking through targeted interventions. We will therefore consider options for research into the motivations of offenders. While drink spiking has historically been linked to secondary offending in the form of acquisitive crime and sexual offences, there is limited evidence linking needle spiking to these crimes; it is also unlikely that this gap in our knowledge will be filled until a greater number of offenders have been apprehended. The Government are aware of a number of cases under investigation by the police, though given the nature of these investigations it would be inappropriate to comment at this stage. As set out in our response to recommendation 7, the Government intends to carry out a review of academic research into spiking to ensure that we are taking the best possible action to tackle this issue. We are already aware of some wider research on spiking, including: • A 2022 survey of 23,000 students from 19 universities by the Tab showed that 11% had been spiked, with 35% of incidents occurring at private parties.5 • In November 2021, a group called Students Organising for Sustainability (SOS) ran a survey collecting student experiences of drink and drug spiking. 2730 students completed the survey, over half of whom are studying at university and under 30 years old. 14% of respondents reported that they know or think they have been given drugs through their drinks without their knowledge.6